CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS, 1215-1272 91
of William Brewer the elder, a local magnate, who had, as
is well known, great influence at court.1 Similarly, M.
Thomas Vipont, elected bishop of Carlisle, formerly only
rector of Graystoke in the diocese, was related to Robert
Vipont, a member of a great local family, influential at
court.* Cantilupe's family had estates in Worcestershire;
and during the Minority, when Hubert de Burgh's influence
was in the ascendant, his brother, Geoffrey de Burgh,
formerly archdeacon of Norwich, was elected to Ely,3 and
his nephew, Thomas Blumville, to Norwich.4 These coinci-
dences, although suggestive, are not of course conclusive;
the only certain instance of magnate influence took place
in the election of Roger Longesp^e to Coventry and Lich-
field, when Roger was chosen bishop over the head of the
king's candidate, the treasurer, Philip Lovel, through the
manipulation of the Earl of Cornwall.5
Again, Matthew Paris makes a suggestion that cathedral
chapters sometimes compromised by electing of their own
accord a curialis of good repute, such as William Raleigh,
in order to avoid the intrusion of a more undesirable
nominee by the king;6 no doubt hoping in this way to
satisfy the king and avoid the expense and delays of litiga-
tion which a struggle with him would bring upon them.
This possibility should not altogether be disregarded: at
least it was a contemporary view on elections of curiales.
Nor is it impossible that some of the administrators pro-
cured their own election independently of the Crown. It
has already been pointed out that Ralph Neville sought
more lucrative bishoprics in 1228, 1232, and I238.7 Con-
temporary rhyme jingles the popular belief that Simon
Walton became bishop of Norwich through simony.8
Mauclerc seems to have acted on his own initiative in his
election to Carlisle: certainly the Crown did not approve,
1 Patent Rolls, ii. 89; for William Brewer the elder cf. D.N.B.
2 See Thomas Vipont: Appendix C, Pt. II. 3 Ann. Mon. ii. 301.
4 Ibid. i. 69. 5 Above, p. 68.
6 Chron. Maj. iii. 525 ; ibid. v. 185. 7 Above, p. 18.
8 Annales Londonienses (in Chronicles of Reign of Edward I and II, i. 50). He
•was said to have given 300 marks to the monks of Norwich.
Markae trescentae, Simon, si pontificent te:
Per nummisma teres fit Simon Symonis heres.